Exoskeletons for Gait Assistance and Training of the Motor-Impaired

Robotics is emerging as a promising tool for training of human functional movement. The current research in this area is focused primarily on upper extremity movements. This paper describes novel designs of three lower extremity exoskeletons, intended for gait assistance and training of motor-impair...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Agrawal, S.K., Banala, S.K., Mankala, K., Sangwan, V., Scholz, J.P., Krishnamoorthy, V., Wei-Li Hsu
Format: Conference Proceeding
Language:English
Subjects:
Exoskeletons
Extremities
Force feedback
Force sensors
Gravity
Humans
Leg
Legged locomotion
Robots
Testing
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Summary:Robotics is emerging as a promising tool for training of human functional movement. The current research in this area is focused primarily on upper extremity movements. This paper describes novel designs of three lower extremity exoskeletons, intended for gait assistance and training of motor-impaired patients. The design of each of these exoskeletons is novel and different. Force and position sensors on the exoskeleton provide feedback to the user during training. The exoskeletons have undergone limited tests on healthy and stroke survivors to assess their potential for treadmill walking. GBO is a gravity balancing un-motorized orthosis which can alter the gravity acting at the hip and knee joints during swing. ALEX is an actively driven leg exoskeleton which can modulate the foot trajectory using motors at the joints. SUE is a bilateral swing-assist un-motorized exoskeleton to propel the leg during gait.
ISSN:1945-7898
1945-7901
DOI:10.1109/ICORR.2007.4428562